Different Stories Same Afflictions
by astrum202
Summary: Mr. Darcy is on his way to propose to Elizabeth again, and winds up stuck in the rain. The result, he spends a night in Highbury talking to another Austen heroine, Emma Woodhouse, dealing with her own new found love for Mr. Knightley.
1. Staring Contest

Author's Note: So I've actually had this on the brain for a while and just got around to starting it. I thought how Emma and Elizabeth have similar characteristics and how Mr. Knightley and Mr. Darcy are kind of alike as well. I then got around to thinking, hmm…what would happen if two of the characters crossed paths in the course of their respective novels. And so, on his way to make his second proposal, Mr. Darcy bumps into Highbury for an evening with Ms. Woodhouse, each plagued by their love problems and each curious about the other. Just so you know, I am by no means implying a relationship between Emma and Mr. Darcy, I just thought they might enjoy a little support from the other. Jane owns everything, and she's probably thinking in her grave right now "I wrote them in separate books for a reason!" Oh well, my rant is done and on with the fanfic.

Emma Woodhouse was deeply frustrated with herself. For the twenty-one years of her life she had allowed many idiotic, stupid, and occasionally, harmful things to happen, but never had she allowed this to happen. She was in love. She sighed as her mind chimed in that she had always been in love, but it was still disgraceful and agitating. And it hurt.

Oh it was hell to even think about him. The very thought of his name was like a poisoned pin, any discreet sliver of his face was a fiery torture. "Oh, Mr. Knightely what have you done to me?" sighed Emma again as she glanced out the window at the rain.

"Emma!" She was startled out of her lonely thoughts by her father's voice carrying through the halls. "Emma, come out into the foyer if you please!"

"The foyer," puzzled Emma as she went. "Why would father need me by the front door at this time of night?" Her answer was found as she entered the front room. Her father stood talking to a young man with black hair and dark eyes. His countenance was serious and slightly foreboding, and he carried himself in a discreetly regal manner. Emma felt a bitter pang at her heart as she saw how his person resembled Mr. Knightley. She shook it off and studied the newcomer more thoroughly. Despite the fact that he was in riding clothes (which were soaked by the night's rain) it was obvious he was very wealthy, perhaps even belonging to a social claim higher than her and her father's.

"My dear this is Mr. um… Mr., oh good heavens sir I've forgotten your name."

"Darcy, sir." Emma cocked her eyebrow. The response was far more uncomfortable than she would have expected from a man of such stature.

"Yes, Mr. Darcy, this is my daughter Emma. Emma, Mr. Darcy has ridden from Kent and is going out into the country and is to stay here tonight."

"Sir," said Mr. Darcy raising his hand. "I merely came in to ask if there was an inn nearby. There is no need for you to be so kind to me. I would not wish to impose on you."

Mr. Woodhouse gave Mr. Darcy a slightly hurt look and Emma could see that in a split second he would go off on one of his distressed rants. Emma knew her father far too well to be wrong.

"No Sir I insist you lodge here tonight. There is no need for you to be riding about in the rain. It is sir, quite dangerous and harmful. Oh how I do detest when people ride about in the rain. How I wish they would simply stay home by a nice warm fire as I do. I am sure that if Mr. Perry, the apothecary you see, whose opinion I greatly trust, were here he would consider riding through that rain a formidable hazard to your health. No sir, I would wish you to stay here rather than galloping about in the rain over to the town. You would most certainly catch a cold and become a bed-ridden mess. Then Mr. Perry would have to treat you and you would be miserable for many weeks. No sir I would much rather you were to remain here. May I perhaps fetch you some gruel? Mr. Perry says gruel is very wholesome and I most avidly agree with him. I assure you, you will not find anything quite as wholesome as the gruel we make here, which you would by no means find at the Crown."

Mr. Darcy glanced at Emma uneasily. She smiled, raising her eyebrows as if to say, "That's what you get for disagreeing with him." She sighed and decided to put their minds both at rest. "On top of that, gruel and all, it is past ten-thirty and the Crown has shut its doors. So," turning to Mr. Darcy, "Unless you plan on riding all night through the rain, you have little choice but to stay here."

Mr. Darcy nodded in unwilling compliance and Emma was pleased to see her father smile and shake his hand. "Oh good sir, it pleases me greatly to have you stay with us tonight rather than catch cold out in the rain." Mr. Woodhouse was forced to yawn before continuing. "Well I am off to fetch some gruel and go to bed. I would suggest you do the same as is it is very late. Emma, show him to his room, he will stay in poor Ms. Taylor's old room. Oh how I miss poor Ms. Taylor. Well no use fretting about it now I am off to bed." And with that Mr. Woodhouse left the two of them in the foyer and climbed the stairs to his room.

Mr. Darcy turned to Emma and gave her a curious look. "Poor Ms. Taylor? Has someone died recently?" Emma smiled.

"No, to my father our "poor Ms. Taylor" has undergone a fate much worse than death."

"Good heavens, what?!"

"Marriage."

Mr. Darcy paused and puzzled over it for a moment. "Is she in an unhappy circumstance, has she married someone whom she does not love?"

"No, quite the contrary actually," Emma smiled inwardly with pride as she said this, as the match after all had been due to her formulation. "It is really more that she left Highbury than that she was married." Mr. Darcy nodded, but it was quite obvious that he still didn't fully understand what she meant. Emma decided to let the topic drop. Finally she asked the question that had been nagging at her ever since she had heard the man's story.

"It's been raining for the past two days. What on earth was so important that you rode through it?" Mr. Darcy looked at her in a startled way like he was just coming out of a trance.

"Oh well you see I uh…" he was stammering. Emma braced herself for the pathetic lie that she knew she was going to get. "…had some business matters."

"Of course," thought Emma. "I see. You have business with a sensible businessman that requires you to ride through wind and rain risking your health and well-being. Now that the little child story is out of the way I would appreciate if you satisfied my curiosity, Mr. Darcy." Judging by Mr. Darcy's surprised face he was struggling to believe she could act so reproachful. Emma was having a hard time believing it herself, but she the mood she was in seemed to be throwing away what little sense she had, why not lose her code of conduct all together?

"Bloody Hell," thought Mr. Darcy, "she's stubborn, headstrong and actually seems to think. She's like Elizabeth!" "Maybe I will," he responded slyly, "If you tell me why you have not gone to bed yet." Emma just stared at him for a moment before looking at the clock. It was almost midnight. On any other night like this she would have been asleep long before now.

She turned away from him. "I couldn't sleep."

"Will you tell me why?"

"If you tell me why you rode through the rain."

Mr. Darcy nodded and sat down. Emma glared at him for a moment before sitting down in the chair opposite him. She couldn't help accepting his unspoken challenge. He reminded her lot of Mr. Knightley and she was sincerely intrigued by what he had gone through.

Mr. Darcy was greatly amused with Ms. Woodhouse. She was so much like Elizabeth that he couldn't help feeling a little protective of her. It was quite obvious that something was troubling her and he fully intended to find out what it was. His look faltered a bit as he remembered how much he had wanted to help Elizabeth back at Pemburly. He realized that it wasn't so much Emma he was determined to help, but how she made the situation mirror the events at Pemburly which made him want to lend his assistance. Well not so much that they mirrored the events but that she was someone distinctly like Elizabeth who was obviously troubled by something, and he felt like he should help her as he had tried to help Elizabeth. Darcy shook his head mentally. I'm so insane I don't even make sense to myself anymore.

The two of them just stared at each other for what seemed like hours, but in reality only turned out to be a few minutes. Emma tried to read her partner's face and could detect every hint and clue she was looking for. His gaze seemed to be elsewhere, he had a sort of wistful look in is eye and overall in a sort of melancholy state. She remembered seeing those same features in herself looking in the mirror recently. Finally she dropped her shields.

"Have you ever been in love?"


	2. Truth and Heartaches

"Have you ever been in love

Author's Note: So finally, chapter two! Sorry for the wait, I've been pretty lazy with this haven't I? Well anyway thanks to the supporting reviews I got. I'm guessing there will be two smaller chapters after this one, though not entirely sure. As a warning this one is relatively sappy, but I think it was a decent enough follow-up. I'm trying to improve so cough review cough so I don't own the characters, the angry ghost next to me threatening to beat me over the head with a book does. "Hi Jane…ow." Enjoy!

"Have you ever been in love?"

Emma and Mr. Darcy stared at each other for a second before Mr. Darcy let out a soft chuckle and Emma grinned.

"So who is it that haunts your heart Mr. Darcy?" said Emma in a slightly over dramatic voice.

"I'll tell you if you tell me who afflicts you Ms. Woodhouse," replied Darcy stifling his laughs. All too soon however the amusement at having asked the same question wore off and the two were back to staring at each other, waiting for the opposite to speak first. Finally Mr. Darcy turned away, his face darkened by the shadows of the candle light.

"Her name is Elizabeth Bennet," he said wistfully with tenderness in his voice. "In my eyes she is the most beautiful, intelligent and frankly amazing person I have ever met in my entire life…and I fear I have lost her forever."

Emma reached out and patted his arm sympathetically. She knew all too well what it felt like to feel as though someone you loved could never return that affection. Mr. Darcy smiled bitterly. "Believe me, I don't deserve much sympathy. I did her wrong, and still I believed I could at least gain her friendship."

Emma raised her eyebrow again. She had only just met the gentleman, but she could see that, while he was reserved, a quality which she did not appreciate, he was courteous. "Now what could you have done that would have set this woman so much against you?" Mr. Darcy made seemed to shrink his shoulders slightly and tighten his face in what Emma could have sworn was a flinch.

"When we first met I was rather rude and arrogant. You see I was visiting the country-side with my dear friend Charles Bingely and had undertaken the journey with a…sour outlook. I met the woman at a ball and almost immediately she began to have a pull on my affections. Belonging to a social class below my own, I purposefully ignored her and put on a pitiful façade of dislike for her as well as her family to try and sever my affection. It would be needless to say it didn't work." Emma's eyebrow remained cocked.

"Even that would not inspire so much resent for you in her. Is this truly the only reason?" Mr. Darcy flinched again. Emma smiled slightly. Even though she could understand his emotions it was amusing to watch a man such as him with a stoic disposition to flinch.

"She was not the only one I wronged," he looked down. "Her sister and my friend were inclined towards one another. It was clear to me how much affection my friend had for Ms. Elizabeth's sister, but being unsure of such affection on the other side I dissuaded him from making any more advances on her. And with all this resting on my shoulders, plus a few unpleasant misconceptions I proposed to her." He grimaced. "I'll never forget the way she looked at me when she rejected me. For the first time in my life I felt like a complete fool. I feel like a fool now. We have come to terms and rest delicately on being acquaintances, even friendly ones, and I have the insane hope that I might still have a chance."

They remained silent for a moment and Emma too looked at the floor. Mr. Darcy's advising of his friend sounded all too much like many of her foolish matchmaking notions. Emma thought of how much falling in love had changed her as a person. Now looking at Mr. Darcy she was able to take comfort in the fact that she wasn't the only one going through a reformation because of her feelings, and one so similar.

"I have found," Emma started quietly, "that love is the most mystical and divine emotion that could possibly exist. But experiencing it…I have never felt more human." Mr. Darcy looked at her surprised at the girl's thoughtfulness.

"It is truly amazing how correct you are," He smiled and nodded and for a moment they acknowledged each other as two people bound by facing the same peril. It was the first moment that they felt like friends. Emma however was not going to let her new friend get off that easy.

"This still does not explain why you have ridden through this rain," she said slyly. Mr. Darcy blushed and smiled rather sheepishly.

"Somehow a rumor reached my aunt's ears that the Ms. Elizabeth and I were engaged. My aunt, intending me to marry her daughter and disapproving of such a match as would arise between us confronted her. I'm not truly sure how the conversation transpired, but Elizabeth refused to make a promise **not** to marry me. While it was mostly likely out of her dislike for my aunt, I still hope that perhaps I have reason to hope. I mean to make her a second offer of marriage." He looked down in an attempt to wash his face of his blush and sheepish look, but Emma could see the warmth in his eyes when he spoke of his hopes.

"He truly loves her," thought Emma as she watched Mr. Darcy. "I thought I had forgotten what that looked like." She was startled by the expectant look he gave her when she looked at him again.

"What is it sir?"

"You have yet to explain your heartache Ms. Woodhouse." Emma blushed and looked away.

"A very old friend of mine, one who I had always seen as an older brother. I've found that I have fallen in love with him, or have always loved him. You said that this Ms. Bennet made you feel like a fool. The man I speak of, Mr. Knightley, has made me feel like that on many occasions." Emma smiled as memories of such occasions came rushing back to her. She was able to laugh at how she had not always been so quick to admit she had been in the wrong. "When faced with the possibility that he might be in love with someone else, I began to see that I loved him. Looking back on my behavior, and how he always checked me, I find impossible to believe he could love me. Like you, I believe the best I may hope for is that we can remain friends. Until he returns from a trip to London, I can't be sure if my feelings, or his, will permit that."

"Love flies like a shadow." Emma looked at Mr. Darcy thoughtfully, mildly surprised to hear him utter such a poetic thought. He smiled half-heartedly. "It's a quote from Shakespeare, very true in my mind. It is quite clear that the both of us would like to avoid it, and yet it follows us. Ms. …" he hesitated a moment "Emma, I must thank you. It is more comfort than you can imagine for me to share my burdens with you. I suppose humans need to be around others who can understand them."

Emma smiled warmly. Understanding was the entire reason why she loved Mr. Knightley afterall. "I must also thank you. This conversation has been comforting. I think I will finally be able to sleep with a little peace tonight." She got up to leave, pausing when she reached the door.

"I don't suppose you would mind telling me your Christian name, as you addressed me as Emma just now." Mr. Darcy was taken aback by her request, but after a moment's hesitation decided to satisfy her.

"Fitzwilliam." Emma wrinkled her nose discreetly in distaste.

"Fitzwilliam," she said trying to wrap her tongue around the name. "I will not pretend to know the full details of your situation, but I believe you have just reason to hope."

She turned to walk away again before she caught Mr. Darcy's deep, soft voice. "As I believe you do, Emma."


	3. A Fond Fairwell

Author's note: So here it is, chapter three! One more to go! So this one is just kind of the wrap up of what happens. I'll be making another brief chapter set some time in the future. I won't say much but it will probably resemble the last chapter of my other fanfic, Nothing in the World (if you want to know what I mean go and read it ; ) so here it is, enjoy, Jane Austen owns everything, I don't, I'm not that good of a writer yet.

"We really must have you visit us again. But tell me sir; are you most certain you do not wish to stay another night. Riding in this mud could be most hazardous to your health. Your horse could trip, or your clothes could be come soiled, and I am sure sir that would be most inconvenient for you…"

Mr. Darcy tried his best to take Mr. Woodhouse's comments seriously as he listened to him rambling in the foyer, but at last he gave up at trying and turned around to face him with a sincere smile.

"I apologize sir, but I have business I do not mean to put off any longer. I must insist that I leave now that the rain has stopped." Mr. Darcy said this as politely as he could. After his conversation with Emma he refused to let anything delay him from knowing Elizabeth's true feelings. He felt hope again after that talk, more than he had ever had. He still did not, however, want to offend the man who had so graciously taken him in for this night.

Mr. Woodhouse made to speak again, but a rap on the door stopped him. He went to answer it and a tall dark-haired man entered. He looked to be slightly older than Mr. Darcy with serious features; however he noted the smile lines in his face.

"Ah, Mr. Knightley, I had not expected you to be back to London so soon." Mr. Darcy started at hearing the man's name. So this was the man who Emma had fallen in love with.

Mr. Knightley bowed to Mr. Woodhouse quickly. "I decided to keep my visit short. I found it was best to resolve some business here." Mr. Darcy could not help but note a slight embarrassment in his voice and color come to his cheeks. Mr. Woodhouse nodded and then started as if just remembering something important.

"Oh yes this is Mr. Darcy. He was riding, most unwisely I might add, through the rain last night and being unable to continue spent the night here." Mr. Knightley nodded to him and reached out to shake his hand. Mr. Darcy took it and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as their eyes met. "Business eh…" he thought, amused. "Emma's right. It certainly is a pathetic story."

"Well I will talk to you shortly; I simply wish to make sure Mr. Darcy is prepared for his journey, as he insists on continuing today," said Mr. Woodhouse.

"Then I don't suppose you could tell me where Emma is. I would like to give her my proper greetings." Mr. Darcy smiled discreetly when he saw the blush return to his cheeks. "Maybe Emma doesn't have so much reason to despair," he thought.

"Yes of course. She is in the gardens I believe."

"Thank You," said Mr. Knightley before he walked stiffly out of the room.

The next twenty minutes left Mr. Darcy in perfect curiosity. He followed Mr. Woodhouse half-heartedly in what little preparation was needed for the rest of his journey while he speculated on what Emma was experiencing. He could tell that Mr. Knightley was in love, watching Bingely after he had met Ms. Jane had taught him what that looked like, but of course he could not imagine what on earth was going on between the two of them in the garden. Emma had said they were old friends, and if they were in love it would make it all the harder for them to confess it to each other.

At last all the necessary preparations were made and Mr. Darcy started looking for Emma. He tried to be inconspicuous in his search so he could avoid walking in at an awkward moment; however he failed miserably when he nearly knocked Emma over in the library. It took him a moment, but he soon realized there were tears in her eyes. He felt terrible. "Ms. Woodhouse, Emma I…" he stopped when he realized she was smiling.

"He loves me" she finally sputtered out. "He's always loved me. Mr. Darcy," she looked down and grabbed his hand. "Thank you so much. I do not know if I would have ever had the courage to tell him."

Mr. Darcy looked at his friend with happiness for her, but he could not help feeling some pangs of jealousy. What if he really did not have any reason to hope? "I'm extremely happy for you," he said with a sincere smile. "I just hope I'll have your good luck." Emma stepped back and gave him a puzzled look.

"I doubt you'll need it." She smiled warmly. Seeing her new friend standing so stiffly in front of her, she could tell he was nervous. "So you will be heading off then?" Mr. Darcy nodded.

"For better or for worst I feel I have to try. Thank you, Emma. I wish you happiness."

"And I you, Mr. Darcy" She glanced around briefly to make sure no one else was in the room, as what she was about to do would have been considered highly improper. She quickly leaned forward and hugged Mr. Darcy, much as she had hugged Mr. Knightley when she was small. When she stepped back she couldn't help but laugh at his disgruntled expression and red cheeks.

"You truly do have reason to hope sir. I believe your days of happiness are not to far off."

Hearing Emma say that Mr. Darcy couldn't help but feel they were true.


	4. Shadows of Old Friends

--Ending 1 (fast forward roughly five years)

Author's Note: Yay last chapter! So these two endings can be substituted or they could both of happened (if you changed the names of the kids in the second one) just so you know, the Darcy kids in the second ending are the ones that make a brief appearance in my other fanfic _Nothing in the World_. I just thought they were cute, so I decided to use them again. : ) Hope you enjoyed the literary ride, and won't find either ending too predictable, cliché or cheesy. My next Austen fanfic will be for P & P entitled _The Black Pawn_. Synopsis: A mysterious girl arrives at Netherfield one night during the time of Elizabeth and Darcy's engagement, the next morning Lady Catherine arrives and that afternoon Mr. Darcy breaks off his engagement with Elizabeth. So yeah, I think you know that I don't own either Emma or P&P. Enjoy the final chapter!

--Ending 1 (fast forward roughly five years)

"Emma?"

Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy looked at her husband in puzzlement, holding their newborn daughter in her arms. Her husband looked down at the two of them with loving eyes, stroking the child's thin copper head of hair. The baby seemed to smile as she slept, as if she had heard the name and was content with it.

"Does the name not suit you?" Mr. Darcy asked his wife awkwardly. Elizabeth smiled and leaned her face against her husband's hand.

"It's a wonderful name," she said, "it suits her perfectly. But where did you get it from." Mr. Darcy smiled as he remembered that evening. What a blessing it had been. There will still times today when he wondered if he would have had the courage to propose to Elizabeth again if it hadn't been for her.

"I met a young woman," Elizabeth gave her husband a suspicious look and cocked one of her eyebrows. Mr. Darcy laughed and leaned down to kiss her head, gathering her shoulders in his arms. Hadn't Ms. Woodhouse given him a look like that? "When I was on my way to propose to you a second time I met a young woman of that name. We talked for a short time and after listening to her own story of unrequited love," Elizabeth blushed slightly at hearing that causing her husband to smile again and hug her even tighter. "She was able to give me new hope that you might accept me." Elizabeth turned to look at her husband, moving her head up to give him a brief kiss on the lips.

"It sounds as though I have her to thank for you." Mr. Darcy chuckled.

"That you might my dear…that you might." They just stared at each other for a moment, the room silent except for their child's quiet breathing.

"Emma it is then," murmured Elizabeth quietly.

And now on to Highbury…

Emma Knightley leaned back her husband gratefully, exhausted from the pains of labor. Mr. Knightley held their new son gently, letting his chestnut colored hair fall against his mother's arm. The three of them rested against the headboard of the bed, watching the shadows of the candles play across the walls.

"What would you like to name him?" Mr. Knightley asked finally. Emma pursed her lips in thought. She could already tell that the child took after her husband. Only one other person had ever reminded her of George.

"William," she said happily heaving a sigh of exhaustion, content, but mostly love. Her husband looked at the child in a pondering way for a moment.

"It suits him exceedingly well," he said. Emma smiled.

"I think it will. It really is a wonderful name." The two looked at each other before Mr. Knightley took his wife's face in his hand, bringing it to his to kiss her.

"I think he will grow to be very much like him," thought Emma as she felt the warmth of her husband's lips "but Fitzwilliam was such a distasteful name."

-- Ending #2 (fast forward roughly twenty years)

Mr. Darcy looked over his daughter lovingly as he drew her back from their embrace. He and Elizabeth couldn't help but let a few tears fall now that Beatrice was married. She looked absolutely beautiful with her golden hair falling gently down her shoulders over her white dress. Her green eyes sparkled as she took her husband's arm. Mr. Darcy had had his doubts about the young man, since Beatrice was of a slightly higher class, but watching them now he saw himself and Elizabeth when they were married.

A tall black haired figure appeared beside them, his striking blue eyes struggling to hold back tears of his own. Elizabeth eyed her son mischievously. "You may as well admit it Sebastian, you are going to miss your younger sister." Sebastian just shook his head unconvincingly and went to embrace his sister and shake hands with her husband, Alexander.

So that was it. The wedding had been just as Mr. Darcy had expected. All of his and Elizabeth's relatives had been there (with the exception of the Wickhams and the DeBourgh's, thank goodness) and the only one who had been able to keep calm the entire time was Beatrice. Both of her parents had to admit that she was an extremely level-headed and intelligent girl, much like the literary character for whom she had been named. Not that Sebastian wasn't equally as intelligent or wise in his decisions. He was simply hot-headed at times, as most boys are at the age of three-and-twenty. Mr. Darcy could tell that Georgiana and Elizabeth would greatly miss his daughter's pointed wit and cool consul.

"Oh there are your parents Alexander," said Beatrice eagerly, bringing Mr. Darcy out of his thoughts. Although both children had met the other's families, neither Mr. Darcy nor Elizabeth had met either of Alexander's parents. Mr. Darcy was exceedingly eager to meet the Knightley's as the name sounded familiar to him though he could not quite remember why. When he turned to look at them he nearly collapsed from surprise.

"EMMA?!" Everyone in the group turned to look at him with equal amounts of surprise and puzzlement, except of course Emma Knightley. She smiled radiantly at him and reached out to shake his hand.

"I thought it was you Mr. Darcy. You certainly have not changed much since I met you, and after such a long time." Getting over his surprise at seeing his old friend again Mr. Darcy stifled a laugh.

"Nor have you." The two turned back to look at the confused faces of everyone else in the group. Finally Elizabeth stepped over to the two of them, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Wait you two have met before?"

Emma laughed merrily and took the hand of the tall, silver haired man who was

Alexander's father. "My dear this is an old friend of mine, Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy this is my husband, George."

Mr. Darcy wrapped his arm around Elizabeth's shoulder. "Emma, this is my wife." He paused a moment, his eyes glazed with the memories of the night the two of them had talked. "Elizabeth."

Emma gave a half smile as her eyes lit up before taking Elizabeth's hand in both of hers. "It's wonderful to finally meet you," she said tenderly. Elizabeth's expression gained a new level of surprise at the "finally".

Getting over his wonder at last Mr. Knightley put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Come, why don't we talk over some refreshment."

"Indeed," said Beatrice enthusiastically, "I'm quite curious to know when the two of you met before. The rest of the group murmured their agreement as they made their way across the lawn of Pemburly toward the table laden with punch and wedding cake.

As they walked Elizabeth glanced back to see Emma poke Mr. Darcy's shoulder playfully. "I told you that you wouldn't need any luck," she said happily. Elizabeth smiled as she heard her husband's deep chuckle.

"You were right. I did have reason to hope."


End file.
